Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies….”
Psalm 23:5 (KJV)
Imagine standing in the middle of a field, with enemies gathered on every side.
You can see them in the distance, some close enough that their voices carry across the field.
You know what they are capable of, and you have not forgotten the trouble they have brought into your life.
Your thoughts are consumed with what has happened, what might happen next, and how much longer you can keep standing under the weight of it all.
And then your Shepherd begins preparing a table.
Right there in the middle of the battlefield, He finds a place and begins His preparations.
You can still hear the voices behind you, and every instinct tells you to keep your eyes on what is happening around you.
Yet He spreads a crisp white linen across the table, carefully smoothing the corners before placing two chairs opposite one another, one for Him and one for you.
He lays a loaf of warm bread upon the linen, its golden crust split along the top.
Beside it, He places a dish of olives, a bowl of figs, clusters of grapes, a little dish of honey and butter, and a plate of roasted lamb.
He takes His time arranging the meal, setting out everything needed for a feast.
The table begins to fill, and there is something breathtaking about seeing such a beautiful spread in the middle of a place where you had expected nothing but trouble.
You glance toward the field again, still wondering whether it is safe to turn your attention away.
But your Shepherd continues as though He has not a moment's concern about the things that have you so troubled.
He draws out your chair, fills your cup, and invites you to sit.
The voices have not stopped, and you can still see those gathered in the distance.
You have no idea what the next hour will bring, but your Shepherd is there beside you, with a meal prepared and a place made just for you.
He is attending to your needs, and He is inviting you to receive the care He has so thoughtfully provided.
How many times have we come to the Lord feeling overwhelmed by what is happening around us, and forgotten that He has already made provision for us?
You may still feel the pull to watch what is happening around you, but there is a Shepherd waiting for you to take your seat.
He knows how weary you are, and He knows what you need.
The psalmist doesn't describe a meal waiting for him after the trouble has passed, when the field is clear and he can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
He describes a table prepared in the very presence of those who oppose him, his enemies.
The Shepherd has made provision for him while the circumstances around him remain unchanged.
Isn’t that something we need to remember about the Lord?
He is not caught off guard by the things that leave us feeling uncertain.
He is never standing in the middle of our circumstances trying to figure out what to do next, and He is never so occupied with what is happening around us that He loses sight of our needs.
He knows the whole situation, including the parts we cannot see, and He remains perfectly steady in His care for us.
I think we sometimes allow the things happening around us to take up so much of our attention that we forget to consider the One who is holding it all in His hand.
We become so preoccupied with the battlefield we forget about the table.
We spend so much time watching what may happen next that we fail to enjoy what the Lord has placed before us today.
Like David, we have every reason to feel the weight of what surrounds us, yet don’t we have even greater reason to recognize the goodness of the One who is caring for us?
I hope we remember this the next time life feels as though it has surrounded us on every side.
Whatever your battlefield may look like today, the Lord is fully aware of what is taking place, and nothing about your circumstances has unsettled Him.
He has not lost control, His goodness has not run dry, and His care for you has not been interrupted.
There is a place at His table, spread especially for you.
You may not know what tomorrow holds, but you can rest in knowing that the One who holds tomorrow is already there with you today.
I hope you will take your seat at His table, draw near to your Shepherd, and receive the nourishment He has prepared for you, right there in the presence of your enemies.
Biblical Womanhood
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